Long Beach police fatally shoot man in Carson after running gunbattle

A man who reportedly threatened to kill his girlfriend and her family in Long Beach early Wednesday was shot to death during a running gunbattle with police officers in Carson, authorities said.

The unidentified man died about 3:15 a.m. outside a house in the 20000 block of Hillford Avenue when he tried to break inside while fleeing from officers, Long Beach police Sgt. David Marander said.

“In order to protect the people inside, the officers shot and stopped the suspect,” Marander said. “We don’t think there’s any relationship between him and that home. We are still looking into that.”

The shooting occurred about 45 minutes after a woman flagged down a Long Beach police officer at Long Beach Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway. She said the man — believed to be her boyfriend or ex-boyfriend — had threatened to kill her and her family, Marander said.

Long Beach police tracked the man to a service station at Del Amo Boulevard and Central Avenue in Carson.

“At that time, he produced a handgun and shot at the officers,” Marander said.

Officers, who were unhurt, returned fire. The man ran into Mills Memorial Park, where police and the suspect again exchanged bullets.

The man ran onto Hillford Avenue and was shot when he tried to break into the house, Marander said. He died at the scene.

Police cordoned off the area Wednesday morning, investigating crime scenes at the service station, the park and on Hillford.

No officers were injured.

The man’s identity was not immediately released. Officers recovered his handgun, Marander said.

“He did shoot at our officers and we did shoot at him,” Marander said.